How is optic disc drusen diagnosed?

Obvious drusen are usually present on the surface of the optic nerve. Some optic nerve drusen are “buried.” Buried drusen can be more difficult to observe and diagnosis may require the use of imaging (ultrasound or CT scan), photography (fluorescein angiography/autoflourescence), or optical coherence tomography (OCT).

What is the normal optic disc ratio?

A C/D ratio between 0.4 and 0.8 can characterize a patient with a normal optic disc (i.e., physiologic cupping), a glaucoma suspect or someone with early to moderate glaucoma (depending on the optic disc size); If the C/D ratio is 0.8 or greater, consider the individual’s disc as glaucomatous unless proven otherwise.

Do drusen always mean macular degeneration?

Drusen are typically associated with age-related macular degeneration in people over the age of 60; however they can arise as hereditary degenerations in young people. Drusen are a risk factor for macular degeneration but having drusen does NOT mean you have macular degeneration.

Can optic nerve drusen cause glaucoma?

Introduction: Optic nerve head drusen are congenital calcium deposits located in the prelaminar section of the optic nerve head. Their association with visual field defects has been classically described, but the diagnosis of glaucoma is not easy in these cases of altered optic nerve head anatomy.

Can drusen cause blindness?

Can drusen cause blindness? Drusen do not cause total blindness, but can result in central vision loss.

What is a suspicious optic nerve?

Optic nerve Myopic (short-sighted) people usually have longer eyeballs than others. As a result, their optic nerves can look like they are damaged, when they are actually healthy. Likewise, some people have tilted optic discs, meaning the optic nerve can enter the back of the eyeball at an angle.

What is CD ratio in eye test?

In glaucoma, the inferior and superior rims are affected first. As the rims become thinner, you will see cupping of the disc – an increased cup to disc (C/D) ratio. There is not a specific C/D ratio that is diagnostic of glaucoma. However, a general rule of thumb is that ~0.6 or greater is suspicious.

How fast does drusen progress?

It can take an entire decade for it to progress from the early to the late stage. You will not be able to spot drusen on your own but will need an eye doctor’s expertise and equipment to do so. Your doctor may spot drusen in a routine eye exam, and also may request that you come in for more frequent eye exams.